Calgary Herald from Calgary, Alberta, Canada • 5

E6 CALGARY HERALD Sunday, May 8, 1994 SPORTS rn Shocking victory over Sonics one of the NBA's greatest playoff upsets ning streak. "We were tight and they were loose," Seattle coach George Karl said. "I can't deny that the butterflies felt like rocks." Denver moved into the Western Conference semifinals against Utah, a 3-1 first-round winner over San Antonio. That best-of-seven series will open Tuesday night in Salt Lake City. Mutombo, who averaged 4.1 blocks during the regular season, had eight blocks as well as 15 rebounds and eight points.

His 31 blocks in the five games was a playoff record. Houston's Hakeem Olajuwon set the old record of 30 last season. loss for the Sonics, who had a franchise-best 63 regular-season victories and were ensured of the home-court advantage through the postseason. "I thought this team really did have a chance to win the championship," Sam Perkins said. "We're doing a lot of soul searching right now." "I can't believe it's over," the Sonics' Nate McMillan said.

"I'm sitting here trying to figure out what happened. I'm going to get up tomorrow and have nothing to do and it's May." It was only Seattle's fifth loss at home all season and broke a 14-game Sonics' home-court win an 0-2 deficit in the best-of-five series. Only four other teams have done likewise. "I can't believe it, I couldn't believe we won this game," shot-blocking hero Dikembe Mutombo said. "We really didn't expect to win this series.

We just wanted to make a good showing." The Nuggets certainly did that. And more. They did it with exceptional performances from a pair of bench players Robert Pack and Brian Williams and two critical blocked shots late in the extra period by Mutombo. "It was our best performance of the series," Pack said. "At no point did we crack, even when they were up by 11 in the third quarter." Denver, which tied for the worst regular-season record of any team in the playoffs, completed a turnaround from being one of the NBA's worst franchises when it won only 24 games two seasons ago, the second and last of Westhead's tenure there.

"I couldn't be prouder of our kids," current coach Dan Issel said. "The first game in Seattle was a throwaway game we were observers. But the next four we played the best team in the NBA head-to-head." It was a bitterly disappointing HIGH SCHOOL RUGBY painful I teach HOLD ON THERE: Scarlett playing 15-a-side against the best players in the city. "It would have been too overwhelming for any one high school team to play them," said Father Lacombe's Tim MacAvoy, one of the coaches of the Calgary Selects team. Henry Wise Wood played a Southland team when the Calgary school toured New Zealand a few years ago.

When the Southland coaches called about setting up a game, Wise Wood coaches approached the HHIHfHHl life i iwis By LAURA SHUTIAK Calgary Herald Calgary high school rugby teams received a lesson in the game from the best Saturday. And it was a pretty painful one, too. Players from Southland Boys High School in New Zealand walked away with the championship at the Bowness Invitational seven-aside tournament, defeating Crescent Heights 52-0 in the final. "It just comes down to our experience," said 17-year-old Nigel Milne, who started playing rugby when he was eight. "Rugby in New Zealand is the national game.

Everyone plays it." Scores in other Southland matches were 61-0, 55-0, 42-0. Only Central Memorial managed to score against them, although the Rams lost 32-3. "They're not really that big, but they are quick and they have all the moves," Cory Smandych, a Grade 12 student at Crescent Heights, said of the Kiwis. "This one guy was running down the field and he went to fake a pass to his teammate and he actually passed it to himself. It was amazing." For the Calgary teams, playing against the Kiwis wasn't frustrating.

It was just fun. "All their hits were clean," said E.P. Scarlett player Jeff Nielsen. "They're good sports, there were no elbows up when you tackled them. But we barely got any tackles because they passed the ball so quickly." After a 61-0 loss, Scarlett bounced back to finish third in their pool.

"We've learned a lot from said Bowness player Josh Zuber. "Like how to take a loss humbly." Part of the reason for the tour was to show Canadian players the game. "Rugby is still developing here," said Southland coach Rex Capil. "But there is lots of promise. You have some big boys." The New Zealand team will be on the pitch again Monday, lE3lllplllMllBt pill mmmmmmL 'mm WW 'k-w Jill UNBELIEVABLE: A stunned Dikembe Mutombo leaves the floor after Nuggets' Pack led Denver with 23 points and Williams came off the bench to collect 17 points and 19 rebounds.

SYNCHRO SWIM Aquabelles have tough act to follow Past success adds pressure on current team By LORI EWING Calgary Herald In the early-morning hours-j Calgary Aquabelles, past and present, have turned out to offer some last words of wisdom. In the 29 years since the Aquabelles were formed, the squad has developed into a powerhouse in world synchronized swimming, churning out champion after champion. And now, as the swimmers go through final preparations before heading to Winnipeg for the national championships, not much has changed. ZZ "Success breeds success," is how head coach Michelle Calkins explains it. Calkins was joined on the Lindsay Park pqpl deck last Thursday by club founder Mary Anne Reeves and Debbie Muir who coached Michelle Cameron and Carolyn Waldo to Olympic gold.

The Aquabelles are the defending national champions in the team event, and club meiru bers Cari Read and Karen Fonteyne are the duet champions. While it helps to be sur-' rounded by a tradition of excel-; lence, Calkins says it has a downside. "You always need to have that edge, you can never rest, you have to prove you're the best," says Calkins, who's been appointed head coach for the Canadian team at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics. "People think it's easier being the best, but it's probably harder? You're always wondering, 'Can we do it Read believes she and Fonteyne can successfully defend their title. But they're not taking anything for granted.

"It's not a giveaway," says Read, who also collected a silver in the solo last year. "But I'm definitely more confident this The pair has put together a new routine that combines mood and music from Romeo and Juliet, Cabaret and the opera Tosca. "I'm really excited about it," says Read. "I like it better than any routine we've done before. And because we're combining romance, comedy and think the audience will really enjoy it, too." Next week's meet acts as the trials for the Commonwealth Games, to be held in August in Victoria.

One pair and one solo swimmer will compete at the Games. If Fonteyne and Read retain their national title, they're a shoe-in for a gold in Victoria. They will find tougher competition next week in Winnipeg from Lisa Alexander and Erin Woodley of Etobicoke, who took the silver last year. The nationals begin with the compulsories Monday. CALGARY COPIER 'Slum 'ev: INI Denver 98 Seattle 94 The Associated Press, SEATTLE The Denver Nuggets have come a long way since the disastrous Paul Westhead years.

Anybody who didn't realize that before Saturday knows it now. The Nuggets pulled off one of the biggest upsets and biggest comebacks in National Basketball Association playoff history with an improbable 98-94 overtime victory over Seattle. Denver became the first eight-seeded playoff team ever to beat a No. 1 seed, coming back from BULLBUSTIN' Sugar Ray tamed Montana cowboy sets Canadian record By BRUCE MASTERMAN Calgary Herald How sweet it is. Montana bull rider Scott Breding on Saturday night did what 44 straight bull riders had been unable to.

He rode a rank bull named Sugar Ray for the first time in two years and set a Canadian high-point bull riding record. "I'm ecstatic," Breding, 31, said seconds after winning Cody Snyder's World Champion Bullbustin' with a whopping 97 points. The first rider out of the chutes in the final 10 rides, Breding kept in control of Sugar Ray for the full eight seconds. Then he wasted no time bailing off as the crowd of 4,000 almost raised the Stampede Corral rafters with wild cheers and applause. The fans went even crazier when judges awarded Breding 97 points.

Ironically, the old record of 95 points was set by Snyder, the former world and Canadian champion, on a bull named Confusion at the 1983 Canadian Finals Rodeo in Edmonton. It was clear the crowd was betting on Sugar Ray after Breding picked the bull's name out of a black cowboy hat for the finals. And for good reason. Sugar Ray, an eight-year-old black, white-faced bull owned by Wayne Void, hadn't been ridden since B.C. cowboy Gerald James earned 77 points on him on Sept.

4, 1992 in Okotoks. Since then, Sugar Ray had bucked off 44 riders to earn the title of 1993 Canadian bull of the year. On top of the $10,000 grand prize, Breding earned another $200 in a friendly little side bet between announcer Bob Tallman and Void. When Breding drew Sugar Ray, Tallman announced he'd throw in $100 extra if he rode him. Tallman challenged Void to match it, and the stock contractor accepted.

Breding, a nine-year pro rider from Columbus, admitted he was "scared" when he drew Sugar Ray. "I tried to keep it out of my mind," he said. "I knew I had to try." Sitting atop Sugar Ray while preparing for the ride, Breding said he "tried to keep a silent mind so I could concentrate. "I calmed my nerves and did what I had to do," he said. Sugar Ray burst from the chute like he'd been shot out of a cannon.

He bucked, twisted to the right and otherwise did his darndest to lose the 155-pound Breding. "There was no time to make any manual move on him," he said. "You just have to let it happen." Breding just wouldn't give up. His previous highest-point ride was an 89 in Colorado five years ago. He'd earned a spot in the finals with a 77 on Jack the Bear in the first round of 40 rides.

Snyder said he was happy Breding broke his record, and he was even more pleased it happened at his own bull-only rodeo. "That was the best bull ride I've ever seen," said Snyder, who's seen more than a few. Nanton bull rider Jayson Keeley took second spot and almost $2,700 with an 85-point ride on Tiger. Californian Aaron Semas came third and pocketed $2,022 with 79 aboard Smoke Screen. Nanton's Glen Keeley, Jayson's brother, and Calgarian Dave Leader finished fourth and fifth respectively.

Gsson p.m. at Kingsland rugby pitch. This is the first trip to Canada for the 21-player Southland team, which is accompanied by two coaches and 19 parents from the city of 50,000 on the South Island. More than $65,000 Cdn was raised through raffles, casinos and guest speaker evenings to pay for the trip. The team will be in Calgary for four days after spending three days each in Victoria, Vancouver and Kelowna, B.C.

Oness the two styles on the floor." Jay Edwards arrived at training camp just in time for last night's scrimmage. He brings a wealth of experience to the team, having played for the legendary Bobby Knight at the University of Indiana. The six-foot-four, 205-pound Edwards also played with the NBA's Los Angeles Clippers and this season played with Fort Wayne of the CBA. The Outlaws begin the season on the road Wednesday and Thursday in Halifax against the Windjammers. The Outlaws' home opener is May 18 against Saskatoon at the of C's Jack Simpson Gym.

mm PAT PRICE, Calgary Herald tacklers have hands full with a New Zealander attacker (right) BASKETBALL Players making it Calgary High School Athletic Association about organizing a selects team. Thirty players attended a camp last week and 20, from about 10 schools, were selected for the team. "It's a great honor to be representing Calgary," said Father Lacombe's Jeff Betinol. "Skill wise, I think they are better than we are, but we have some great athletes. It's going to be a good game." Monday's game starts at 4:30 tough for newest professional basketball team.

Guard Sean Chambers, who played one season for the now-defunct Calgary '88s, was the game's high scorer, collecting 36 points for the white side. Oness said the team accomplished its No. 1 goal last night scoring a lot of points. The head coach travelled to Edmonton on Friday night to watch the Edmonton Skyhawks defeat the Saskatoon Slam 89-83 in an exhibition game. "They play more of an NBA, CBA (Continental Basketball Association) type of play," explained Oness.

"It should be interesting when you combine Simpson Gym. It was the last chance for the players left at training camp to impress coaches before the team's roster is trimmed to the final 10 spots. "We played with a lot of effort, which I was really happy about," said Oness. "If we don't have effort, we have no chance. "But it's put me in a tough position.

Every guy out there tonight played well enough to be on the team." The final roster will be announced today. The black squad defeated the white team 134-126 in front of about 700 fans, who enjoyed a sneak preview of Calgary's Outlaws have more talent than available jobs By LORI EWING Calgary Herald Coach Dave Oness's job became a touch more difficult Saturday night, thanks to 15 men playing their hearts out. The Calgary Outlaws, the latest team to join the National Basketball League, played an intersquad game last night at the University of Calgary's Jack Polyurethane HOT Sprayed Protection "SPRAYED ON HOT! ft SETS ON CONTACT HOMORE: Problem -Slippage Dents Scratchei -Crrmcl damage Coatings he IMS: I iiJ I 1. Calgary Cannons vs. Tucson Toros GAME TIME 1 :35 DIAMOND EVENT AGFA FILM ALL MOM'S CAN ENTER TO WIN ONE OF TEN DIAMOND PENDANTS 4 TICKETS 2841 1 1 1.